In Japan, a shrine (jinja, 神社) is a place of worship in Shinto, the indigenous religion that honours kami (神) — sacred spirits tied to nature, ancestors, heroes, and remarkable places. Unlike a church or temple built mainly for sermons, a shrine is a living threshold between everyday life and the sacred: a grove, a gate, a hall, and open ground where people pause, bow, and leave offerings.
Shrines appear throughout daily life in Japan. Neighbours visit a local ujigami shrine for protection; students pray for exams at a Tenjin shrine; merchants favour Inari shrines; families buy omamori charms and draw omikuji fortune slips; and at New Year millions attend hatsumōde (初詣), the first shrine visit of the year. Festivals (matsuri), weddings, and seasonal rituals still centre on shrine communities, even when faith is quiet or personal.
Many shrine grounds also overlap with the world of folklore on this site. Fox messengers at Inari shrines connect to kitsune legends; thunder kami echo Raijin; boundary stones and sacred trees often appear in yōkai tales. Understanding shrines helps place those creatures in their real cultural setting — not only as story monsters, but as beings once approached with respect at the altar.
Search by name, prefecture, city, or shrine type below. Each listing notes enshrined kami, location, and a short description where available. Open a shrine page for maps, visitor notes, and links to official sites when we have them.
30,440 shrines found
Daijingu Shrine
Kanagawa
Amaterasu OmikamiDaijingu is a local shrine dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess and principal deity of Sh...
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Daijingu Shrine
Kanagawa
Amaterasu OmikamiA local shrine dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess and supreme deity of the Shinto panth...
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Daijingu Shrine
Kanagawa
Amaterasu OmikamiA local shrine dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess and supreme deity of the Shinto panth...
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Daijingu Shrine
Kochi
Amaterasu OmikamiDaijingu is a local shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess and s...
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Daijingu Shrine
Kumamoto
Amaterasu OmikamiA local shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess and principal...
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Hoichizan Daijingu Shrine
Kanagawa
Amaterasu OmikamiA Daijingu shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess and supreme...
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Kitakata Kotaijingu Shrine
Kanagawa
Amaterasu OmikamiKitakata Kotaijingu is a Shinto shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the su...
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Oise-gu Shrine
Kochi
Amaterasu OmikamiA local shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess and principal dei...
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Oise-sama Shrine
Kochi
Amaterasu OmikamiA local shrine in Kochi Prefecture dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, commonly referred to as Oise-sama...
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Takaya Daijingu
Kanagawa
Amaterasu OmikamiTakaya Daijingu is a Shinto shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture that serves as a regional branch of Ise Gr...
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Takihara Narabinomiya Main Hall
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Amaterasu OmikamiTakihara Narabinomiya is one of the auxiliary shrines (betsugu) of Ise Grand Shrine, located in the...
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Yamaguchi Daijingu
Yamaguchi
Amaterasu OmikamiYamaguchi Daijingu is a prominent Shinto shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture that serves as a regional br...
View shrine →Jump to Shinto shrines across Japan — 108 prefectures in our directory.
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